A Colony That Runs Independently

Canon Base: Loyalty, but in 1714 – 1715 
Age: 28-29
Corresponds With: Do Only What You Can Live With

Peace between Spain and England resulted in Horatio being withdrawn from his command as a result of England needing to work on rebuilding her profits in the wake of an eleven year war and its many costs. Making his living in the Bahamas mostly through games of whist, Horatio is dimly aware that the neighboring New Providence island has become something of a black spot in England’s purse. With no real reason to act or remark upon it, Horatio tends to turn a blind eye to many of the illegal acts he takes note of, not even mentioning them to Admiral Pellew when the man takes up in the area and aids Horatio’s winnings by inviting him to games he would otherwise be too low on the social sphere to attend.

This takes a turn however, when the admiral tasks Horatio with ferrying a Frenchman with interests in Acadia to meet with an English proprietor who held an interest in New Providence and the city of Nassau. Due to various trade agreements the two had become fast friends, and Major Cotard was considered an ally to English interests on account of having supported Protestant rule in Spain during the war. It was believed that the Spanish meant to move against the island, and that it was imperative this be avoided as it would mean war again, so long as New Providence remained technically within the English colonies. However, her corrupted nature was something that needed addressing, and Major Cotard was meant to discuss with his friend means of assisting on that front in exchange for further property interests in Acadia presently held by the English.

Posted as captain to the Hotspur, Horatio immediately reaches out to Bush and has him named as first lieutenant, before arranging the rest of his crew for the mission. The meeting however, proves to have been waylaid. A fleet of Spanish ships is set to make for Nassau, at the bequest of the new governor who was acting under the financial supports of Major Cotard’s proprietary friend. This act of betrayal and invitation to war is met with an abundance of shock, though the razing of Nassau leaves Horatio feeling utterly devastated when it comes to light the actions were taken in an effort to control her pirate population and were deemed somehow necessary for civilization’s progress.

Unwilling to be party to this, Horatio commits an act of piracy himself by aiding and abetting those who wished to escape the slaughter. Returning to the mainland, Major Cotard did not mention this to the admiralty, and Horatio took his silence as an indication that he too considered the crime against Nassau far greater than the crime of interference.